Iron ore pellets are used in steel production as a raw material for the blast furnace process or direct reduction. They will be loaded by a bucket wheel excavator from the stock pile via conveyor towards the ironworks. From time to time in the past, the pellets got caught in the wear protection on the bucketwheel structure. The stray pellets caused additional weight on the bucket wheel and thus disrupted the smooth running of the machine. Here, a solution was needed.

As Kalenborn was already known as the supplier of wear protection, the customer had a closer look at the range of materials on offer and was impressed. Working in close collaboration, agreements were then made on how to optimise the key aspects of the wear protection. The goal: Achieving a long lasting life and trouble-free operation for the bucket wheel.

At the end of 2015, Kalenborn produced the bucket wheel as a complete welded structure including attachments. The areas which needed to be protected were made from KALMETALL-W 100. The hard overlay steel plate offers a very persuasive choice with excellent wear resistance and impact strength. Areas requiring special protection were also covered with armour plates or manually reinforced with KALMETALL-W 100.

The project was implemented to the customer’s complete satisfaction. The customer particularly praises the personal contact with the counterparts from Kalenborn. This close collaboration makes it possible to find the right solution to every problem. The large number of materials and options for lining that Kalenborn offers has been very helpful here. The next bucket wheel has already been ordered.